1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium in accordance with image data.
2. Related Background Art
As one of such image recording apparatus, a facsimile apparatus has been known.
In a facsimile apparatus which uses a printing unit of a lower speed than a communication speed, an image memory is usually provided to store data overflown from the recording into the memory to compensate for the lower speed. Since a capacity of the image memory is definite, it is necessary to erase the recorded image data to release the memory.
A timing to release the image memory is critical. Where a system in which one page of memory area is released when one page of recording is completed (hereinafter a memory hold mode) is adopted, it is not possible to receive a document having larger information amount than the image memory capacity. In order to solve the problem, an image memory having a sufficiently large capacity may be provided but it raises a cost problem. Where a system in which the memory area is released when the recording of a memory block having a size of one line to any number of lines is completed (hereinafter a memory release mode) is adopted, there is a risk that the image may be erased without being properly recorded if there is an error in the recording of a page such as a jam of a sheet.